Arson by Estevan Vega

Reviewed by Cory Clubb

"At moments I forgot I was even reading a book by such a young man, a young man who cares for his craft and love of a good story."

Arson, the third book by teenage author Estevan Vega reads like burnt skin. At first it jumps off the page and then it slowly starts to fade and sting. The author draws the reader in with the mystery surrounding young teenager Arson Gable and his life of woes and worry. Through his relationship with his grandparents, school-mates, and lost friends, we get the idea that everything about him tends to be a let down. Then strange things start to happen and the pace speeds up. Arson’s skin heals at an alarming rate and sweat and burning of pure intensity overtakes his entire body. Stricken with this curse of sorts, Arson battles inner demons to discover the origin of his growing power.

Arson is an interesting read; it begins at a slow pace and plots and characters are sporadically weaved in. Vega’s style seems to jump around as well, from detailed to broad, at times making it hard to keep things straight. But his strongest suit is his immense character building. Vega knows his characters inside and out and it shows through in his technique to blend those emotions on the page. He has the reader longing for redemption for the hero and his quest to answer questions that plague his life.

The book could be compared to other young adult books such as Jumper or even a young coming of age super-hero genre story. And even at time flecks of the Twilight series with its teenage struggles mixed into uncanny situations.

Vega really has a lot going for him with this third entry into the publishing world, and he can only grow from here. At moments I forgot I was even reading a book by such a young man, a young man who cares for his craft and love of a good story.

Cory Clubb is author of the novel Saved by Grace and currently working on his first thriller. He holds a degree in Graphic Design and is always seeking to advance his talent as a writer. He is an avid reader, movie buff, and music enthusiast, tools he uses to infuse his imagination. He lives in central Illinois with his wife and three sons. You can find out more about his projects at his blog.